Chic Hecht

Mayer Jacob "Chic" Hecht (November 30, 1928 – May 15, 2006) was a Republican United States Senator from Nevada and U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.

Biography

Early life and career

Hecht was born into a Jewish family in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in retailing from Washington University in St. Louis in 1949.

Hecht attended Military Intelligence School at Fort Holabird and served as an intelligence agent with the U.S. armed forces during the Korean War, from 1951 to 1953. Hecht was a member of the National Military Intelligence Association, and was inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame in 1988.

After leaving military service, Hecht moved to Nevada. His business activities included retailing, the operation of a bank, and interests in hotels. He married the former Gail Kahn in 1959.

Political career

In 1966 he was elected to the Nevada Senate, the first Republican to represent his predominantly Democratic district in and around Las Vegas in more than 25 years. He was a state senator from 1967 to 1975, serving as Senate minority leader from 1969 to 1970.